This is a site about paper mache. Welcome!

My name is Dan (the monster-man) Reeder. I am a paper mache artist living in Seattle, Washingmachine.

Here is a photo of, from left to right, my dragon, my new kitten Mazzy, me, and my other new kitten Abby. If you want to see the time lapse video of this dragon being made, just click on the photo.

I know that most of you have had some experience with this medium. When people ask me what I do for a living, and I tell them that I’m a paper mache artist, they get a certain look on their faces. I can almost see them drifting back in time. In their mind’s eye they see a piggybank made with toilet paper tube legs that they made in elementary school. Because I know what these people are thinking, I always make sure that I have access to a photo of the kind of work I do. Something like this… (a commission, Smaug).

And below is my rendition of Drogon (as a young adult) from Game of Thrones.

Speaking of Game of Thrones. In anticipation of the final season I decided to make a rendition of poor, dead Viserion. It’s not like the version shown on the series. (Of course not, their digital version is unbelievable!) But here is mine. You can see this made step by step on my blog (PaperMacheBlog.com). If you want to see the time-lapse video of this, just click on the photo.

Here is my commission, the five-headed Tiamat Dragon from Dungeons and Dragons. Here it is before paint.

And here it is after painting. If you want to see the time-lapse video of this being made, just click on the photo.

By the way, you can see this dragon at The Chromatic Dragon restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.

I’ve made a few more trophies, look below.

And my latest dragon, a rendition of Alduin from the Skyrim game. (Well, it started as Alduin but ended up more like a cousin. Alduin is supposed to be just black and grey. Oh well.)

If you want to see the time-lapse video of this being made, click on the photos.

If you’d like to see a time-lapse video of three more trophies click on the photo below.

This isn’t your third grade paper mache.

Did you know that the paper mache piggy is still a staple in many elementary school classrooms? That or some other variation of the exercise involving a balloon, insuring that every kid ends up with an uninspired project that looks exactly like everyone else’s uninspired project in the class. This has to stop! I’ve spent 40+ years trying to change the face of paper mache. It is a wonderful medium for self expression. It deserves more attention. I’m proud to say that I’ve helped bring about a small renaissance of sorts with my books and videos.

Go to the “About Me” page if you are interested in how I got started. But if you want to know more about paper mache recipes or instructions, I have how-to books. More about them on the “My Books” page.

Or you can visit my Gourmet Paper Mache Blog. I show many projects made step-by-step with commentary. And you can see what I’m working on at the moment. You can also leave a comment or two.

Your Paper Mache.

But much of my site is devoted to the art of other people. Ever since my first book came out in 1984, people have been sending me photos of the projects they have made. This has been the one of the most satisfying parts of doing this work. Note that not everyone who sends me a photo uses my specific methods. “Paper Mache” encompasses a broad range of styles and techniques. But many do. But what is common to all of these photos is that they reflect the supreme joy and satisfaction that comes along with creating art. It is thrilling to seemingly pull something amazing out of thin air. If you need convincing, just look at this photo of Kiran with his monster. Q.E.D.

You can see many more of the photos people have sent on the “Your Paper Mache ” pages.

So take a look around. If you want to see my latest time-lapse video, go to “My Paper Mache Videos“. I do sell my work once in a while. So I have an “Art for Sale” page as well. I have a “Site Map” for spiders who are lost. What else?

Paper Mache Baby

Oh yes…. because I get asked the same questions over and over and over I decided to add a paper mache “FAQ” page. Thank you for stopping by!

Wait! I forgot…while you are here….

…if you like what you see, pleasecast your vote for me by clicking the link below. It will open a window for you to view the top craft sites in the “Top 100 craft site” report. Since I’m the only paper mache site on the list, I think that casting a vote for my site is really casting a vote for this art form. Thank you for visiting! And thanks for your support of my rather eccentric art style.